Happily Never After
by Gunpowder Cookies
Summary: AU: Ever since she lost her family to the Big Bad Wolf, Maka has been waiting to exact her revenge. But when she meets a young man with a quest of his own, she opens her eyes to a world outside... Rated T for gore and some language.
1. The Scarlet Maiden

**AN: Hello! Upon putting my previous story, **_**Reawakening in Death**_**, on hiatus, I ended up with this. I've already got the majority of the plot sussed out and all, so hopefully there won't be any sinfully long update periods (though don't expect this to be a weekly thing. It will be updated whenever possible).**

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Eater, nor do I own any fairy tales that I may reference in this story.**_

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><p><strong>~ Chapter 1- The Scarlet Maiden~<strong>

_Darkness covers the land, spare a lone light that's shining brightly, illuminating the girl's way. The scarce light which she sees is in kaleidoscope patterns, inbetween the shadows of the trees._

_The girl doesn't care where she is going anyway. She has long since strayed from the path. Whilst out of breath, she persists in her running. The pounding of her boots against the earth echoes, deafening her. All too loud._

_She falls over onto the ground, cursing in a manner that is neither ladylike nor appropriate for her age. She doesn't care in the slightest, as she has more pressing matters on her mind. She is Maka Albarn, currently aged eleven, and she is running for her life._

_It was always night by the time she reached Grandma's house, no matter how fast she ran. Time and time again, she had asked her parents why she should bother to take the path- it twisted and turned, leading her in all sorts of obscure directions and generally wasting time. Maka wished that she could just walk through the forest itself. Secretly, she wanted to play in the forest, an area forbidden to her. She had to keep to the path and she was not to play in the forest, no matter what._

_That day, Maka had disobeyed her parents. Now, she's paying the price for it._

_At first, she had enjoyed herself, climbing trees and watching birds. Then she had decided to go find Grandma, before realising she had no way of finding the path. It was only when a kind man told her what direction to go that she had managed to continue on her journey. At the time, Maka didn't know what the consequences of her actions would be, nor that her saviour would become her one true hatred; she only knew that she wanted to be with Grandma before night fell, so that she could cuddle up by the fire and eat shortbread._

_Unfortunately, it had become dark by the time she reached the cottage. Maka had cursed her bad luck, hoping that her parents wouldn't find out that she had strayed from the path. To do so was a taboo among the people of her village; Maka had always been a good girl, and hated to think of the gossip and teasing that would ensue if she was caught misbehaving. It was so trivial though._

_Yet, when she knocked on the door and was told to come in, a nagging voice inside her head warned that this wasn't right. Grandma was as wary of the wolves as everyone else Maka knew, maybe even more so. Whilst her cottage had so far proved to be safe, she was always cautious at night. For her to call so casually was unnerving._

_And then… and then…_

_Maka heaves herself up and runs. But, no matter how fast she sprints, she can't forget. The feeling of his hands on her, the hungry look in his eyes. She was about to become his meal, and the thought terrified her._

_It was a miracle that she had got out alive- hitting him with a fire poker before dashing out of the window. Yet part of her knows that her escape had been intention; she is currently playing a deadly game of cat and mouse, and he is toying with her before killing her._

_But she won't let him. She will survive, she will not give up._

_Her cloak snags on some brambles, yet is pulled away after several tugs. In retrospect, she knows that she should abandon it- not only due to the hazards of it getting caught, but because its bright red colour makes her stick out like a sore thumb within the muted browns and greens of the wood. Yet she refuses to take it off. The cloak is her comfort blanket on this dark, dangerous night._

_Finally, her muscles give in, and the blonde collapses to the ground in exhaustion._

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><p><em>It takes almost an entire day for Maka to find the path; a day of paranoia, of constantly looking over her shoulder and flinching at the slightest of noises.<em>

_When she finally sees the dirt path – the narrow, winding path that is nothing but a slur of mud whenever it rains- she feels like dropping to the ground and worshipping it, such is the feeling of relief that has overcome her. Yet she doesn't. She wants to get out of the Forest and into her village as soon as possible. Yesterday, it was her playground- today, it is her nightmare._

_She sprints down the path, never stopping, never looking back for fear that he is following her. She does not dare to travel in the other direction, to go to Grandma's cottage- in fact, she never wants to see that building again. Maybe, when she gets home, she can inform the woodcutters and they can save Grandma. Maybe her parents will see sense and leave the village that is located deep within the Forest. Perhaps they will take her to the Kingdom of Shibusen, a land she has heard stories and rumours about. A kingdom where children can aspire to be more than woodcutters and housewives. Where fairy tales come true, a kingdom of happily ever afters. If Maka's family lived in Shibusen, they wouldn't have to fear the forest creatures. They wouldn't have to bolt up their doors and windows at night 'just in case'._

_Yet, when she arrives home, Maka's hopes and dreams vanish into oblivion. Now, her red cloak seems to fit the sickening colour scheme._

_Crimson._

_Vermilion._

_Scarlet._

_Red._

_Maka takes a step back. She doesn't want to know what squelches beneath her boot, nor does she wish to know whose mauled body she has narrowly avoided stepping on. Because one thing is clear to her now._

_They never were playing Cat and Mouse. They weren't playing games, and he has delivered a deadly blow. The Big Bad Wolf has stained her life red; bloody red._

_**And then he slashes through her throat and the rest of her is red.**_

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><p>Maka woke up, a cold sweat causing her hair to stick to her forehead. She forced herself to be calm, sneaking a glance at her pet cat. The girl was relieved that the feline was still sleeping- the last thing she needed right then was for Blair to see her in such a weakened state.<p>

_It was only a dream. And besides, that was five years ago._

Stamping out the dying embers of the previous night's fire, she yawned and fastened the clasp of her cloak before tying her hair up. Sure, she was used to getting by on precious little sleep, but that dream would always increase the tiredness by tenfold.

Looking down, she saw that familiar tear in her cloak- the one she had gained snagging it on the brambles, making her hasty escape. It was that tear that would remind Maka not to lose track of her goals.

She reached for her axe, her father's woodcutting axe that she knew all too well. The girl awoke her companion before leaving, hood up and face shrouded in shadow.

No matter how long it took, she would defeat that Wolf. Even if she spent the rest of her life searching, she would paint him scarlet.

She was no longer the nine-year-old Maka Albarn, goody-two-shoes of Oakvale.

She was the sixteen-year-old Maka, also known as Red Riding Hood.

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><p><strong>AN: I do try, I assure you. Anyway, this story… I have pretty much all of the master storyline sussed, and only a few kinks that need ironing out. My beta's estimating for this to be somewhere between 20-30 chapters, so… yeah. Also, this chapter's not too long because it's more of a prologue than anything else. Anyway, feel free to review, if you so wish. Just remember; the more reviews I have, the more motivated I am and the faster the updates. Thank you to LittleMissSophie, my officially awesome beta reader.<strong>

_**CHARACTER CHALLENGE: **_**Guess what fairy tale character Soul might be (this one's quite tricky). Throw Blair's identity if you wish for extra points (not too difficult).**

**~Meg**

_**B/R: Yeah, it's me. I'm betaing this story. So here's a hint: If you don't like Big Words, then you won't like my edits. And if you enjoy awkward pacing/wording, then you won't like my edits. If you like quality, then you won't like this story. 'Nuff said.**_


	2. Once Upon a Time

**AN: Yay, nice reviewers! Unfortunately, my only character guesser was wrong. Sorry, I should have been more clear- every character comes from their own individual fairy tale (apart from some characters in pairs that share fairy tales, the Wolf being one of them). So Maka is Red Riding Hood, and, for example, later on in the story we meet Cinderella (but I'm not telling who she'll be!). The stories have all been adapted so that they go wrong at some point (the Wolf killing Maka's family, etc.) –with some artistic license-. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Eater. Happy now?**

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><p><strong>~ Once Upon a Time~<strong>

_She'd been a beautiful young woman. Ever since her childhood, Blair had been hailed as a pretty girl, but as she grew older, so her appearance became more and more stunning. In her small village, she was known as "The Bewitching Beauty." Her unnaturally coloured hair and bright eyes were enchanting._

_Oh, and her feminine figure really helped._

_Of course, she had adored the attention. What normal girl wouldn't? She dated and she flirted and she charmed, leaving behind a trail of broken hearts; too caught up in the adrenaline to look back and see the damage caused._

_Eventually, Blair tired of her pitiful village and its dull men. She was an ambitious woman, always on the hunt for bigger and better things. So, wishing her family goodbye, she left them promising to return- a promise that the nineteen-year-old had never intended to keep._

_She became a maid for a wealthy family. It was something of a tough life- the work was tiring and the lady of the house even more so- but it had its perks. The male staff were enchanted by her._

_But who needed them? Blair had her sights set on a far more noble prize-namely, the young master._

_How did it all go terribly wrong? Before Blair could reflect on what she was risking, they were discovered. In what seemed like minutes, she was to be tried for witchcraft. She was just a maid, a flirtatious young girl- they said that she had enchanted her men by means of magic._

_Ridiculous._

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><p><em>And so a terrified Blair fled into the forest, off the path, away from all she had been taught. As she ran, night descended and her fear only grew and grew. She wondered whether or not she should return home- but where was home? Would her family want her back after hearing what had happened? For the first time in her life, Blair lost confidence in herself.<em>

_Moving more out of desperation than anything else, Blair stumbled on. She knew that they wouldn't follow her out here, she was safe. Well, safe from humans, that is._

_As midnight neared, she began to shiver as a chill came in through her thin dress. She jumped whenever a wolf howled. She shuddered whenever the wind whistled. Sweet, sweet paranoia._

_Somewhere along the line, her body lost the will to go on and she collapsed to her knees, sobbing into her sleeve. She was no longer Blair, bewitching beauty. She was just a cold, hungry teenager._

_"Why hello, girl."_

_Blair froze at the sudden voice, smooth as silk. In the silence, she heard scuttling. Scuttling that made her heart skip a beat, and she realised just who she had stumbled upon._

_The Heretic Witch, Arachne._

_With a burst of new found energy, she stumbled up and ran in desperation, praying to whatever divine entity was watching her that she could escape. Alas, to no avail. Her heel snapped and she fell to the ground that was now crawling with spiders. Her mind was blank as she withered around, desperate to escape the disgusting, horrifying creatures that were crawling on her skin. She was suffocating; suffocating in fear, panic, and the sheer darkness that was encompassing her._

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><p><em>It's not every day that you wake up and find yourself transformed into a cat.<em>

_Blair wandered around, mewing pitifully until an elderly man found her. And when that man died, she was passed on to his youngest son._

_His extremely handsome youngest son, that is._

_She won over his heart when he found her crawling around in a boot, giving her a tiny pair of her own. And he won over her heart through everything he did. It was the first time in her life that Blair had actually felt love; sure, men had loved her, but it was the first time she felt a yearning and passion. Whilst she wished to be his lady, for him to see her true form, she was content to just be his cat and stay by his side. So even as the days turned into weeks and weeks into months and she began to regain the power of human speech as one remembers a song from the past, her communication remained limited to mews and purrs. Because he loved her as a pet, and that was better than to not be loved at all._

_In return for his love, she worked behind the scenes. He was unaware of her manipulation, content with his new found 'good luck' that was in fact a result of her meddling._

_Of course it would turn sour._

_He married. Married a princess, no less. And it was all because of Blair._

_Now her heart felt a different pain, more of an empty one than one of longing. And the pain of self-hate, because she hated herself, hated her stupid actions, hated this cat's body. Yet she stayed, not because she wanted to, but because she didn't know what else to do._

_And when there was war, her Prince was on the front line. And when he was killed, she was once again on her own._

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><p><em>The booted cat and the girl in red met by complete chance. After her master's death, Blair turned to wandering alone through the forest, shrugging off society. And she found it a nice life, quite a simple one. Now she was chasing her next meal- a small, cute brown mouse with soft ears and wide eyes. Yum.<em>

_Blair chased her prey across the forest floor, darting around trees. Her victim had an advantage, being smaller and faster, but that simply added to the fun._

_The mouse buried itself in the leaves at the base of a tree, causing Blair to silently celebrate. It didn't think it could hide, did it? She stealthily made her way over, ready to dip a paw in…_

_Except there was a dull thud that caused the cat to squeak and duck down as her prey escaped._

_Damn._

_Blair only just jumped out of the way as heavy boots clomped over. Looking up, she saw a girl- thirteen, perhaps- with blonde hair in girlish pigtails. She was pretty in a homely way, with her honest face and moss green eyes, yet not the stunning beauty that Blair had once been. As well as her black combat boots, the girl was wearing a red cloak that almost obscured the rest of her clothing; however, when she moved her arm to remove a hatchet that was embedded in the tree, Blair caught a glimpse of a simple black and white dress, though the white had lost its dazzling brilliance long ago. The girl, not noticing the cat, simply yanked out the hatchet and returned it to her belt before sauntering over to her spot several meters away and throwing again. She threw in the style of one so finely trained in their art that she could have done so blindfolded and still hit dead centre of the tree, yet once again, she seemed displeased and repeated her throw._

_Around ten minutes later, Blair spoke up. There would be no misconceptions, not this time._

_"Those are some sharp skills you got there."_

_The girl paused and turned to the cat, raising an eyebrow but appearing otherwise unfazed. "Why thank you. Those are some nice boots you got there, puss."_

_"I could say the same for you."_

_And so, when Maka finished her training and left the clearing, she left with Blair by her side. And that was where Blair stayed._

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><p>Soul hissed and clenched his jaw, firing a shot at one of the cursed creatures. It crumpled to the ground, only for another to take its place.<p>

So uncool.

With one hand clutching his bloody arm and the other holding his pistol, he took another shot, only for it to go wide. And now he had to reload…

He cursed the gods. Why him, why now? He was on the Path, for goodness sake!

Life in the land of Meister was built around the Path. For the Great Forest was a beautiful place stretching from the azure seas to the Brew mountains, yet its beauty was deceiving. The forest had always been home to certain creatures no person would wish to run into. From wolves to dark spirits, it was a place that preyed on the weak and unwitting.

Everyone knew of the Path. Mothers sang lullabies and nursery rhymes of it to their young, children played games about it, many phrases spoke of it. It was a part of everyone's lives, imbedded into their minds. Nobody knew how it was made or even why (some speculated that it was a gift of the gods). It had been there since before humans had arrived and it would probably remain long after they were gone. Nevertheless, the path was odd, twisting and turning and branching, meeting and joining in all sorts of eccentric ways. Its size changed too- at times it could be as wide as a cottage, whilst other sections would have one struggling to find it among the foliage. Yet it was the backbone of the kingdom, all life flourishing around it. Why?

Because it was safe. Because no malicious creatures ever prayed on the path. Sure, bandits would sometimes pick on unwary travellers, but they were nothing compared to what dwelled within the forest's dark depths. All villages, cottages, anything were built by the Path, whilst the kingdoms were situated in massive, manmade clearings. Travellers only ever followed the Path, despite the fact that it would sometimes cruelly take the most indirect route possible. Those that left the Path were considered outcasts of society- those that got out alive and sane, that is.

Until five years ago. Five years ago, there were reports of wolves on the path. Some dismissed it as nothing, certain that their guardian would forever bepure. Recently, even they had come to admit that it was only safe to travel on foot in groups, or at least by day.

It was daytime. Soul was on the Path. So why was he being attacked?

Grunting with effort, he stood his ground as the wolves approached, slinking out of the shadows. He considered his choices.

He could go back to the village he had been to a few hours ago. Probably not the best of ideas, since that would involve running right through his attackers.

It was possible that, by running, he could seek safety in another settlement. But the next one could be hours or even days away; besides, it wasn't likely that he would be faster.

The third option was simple: fight them off. But Soul's pistol needed reloading, and he already had an injured arm. Unfortunately, there seemed to be no other choice, so he returned his pistol to his belt and reached for his blade.

But before he could unsheathe it, one of the wolves launched itself at him, claws at the ready. This was it, the end. It couldn't be! He still had so much to do… he still needed to find Wes! In a burst of energy and willpower, he drew his sword…

…Except the wolf crumpled to the ground in mid leap, a hatchet imbedded in the bloody mess of its skull. A figure appeared, one that Soul would have analysed had another one of the creatures not attacked him. Using his good arm, the young man parried a blow before slicing through the beast's neck. The mysterious person continued to fight whilst Soul persisted, despite the fact that the wound on his arm was reopening and causing a crimson flower to blossom on his shirt sleeve.

In just a few minutes, the Path was a scene of carnage. It was somewhat odd how well Soul's red cloaked saviour, who was currently retrieving their hatchet, blended in. As a shocking contrast, a small black cat (in boots? With a hat?) tottered over, face alight as though this was an everyday occurrence.

"Nya! That was great, Maka!"

…Maka?

The person in question finished cleaning their weapon and replaced it among the folds of their cloak before taking their hood down, causing Soul's jaw to drop.

He had been saved by a flat chested teenage girl in pigtails. So uncool.

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><p><strong>AN: Finally! This took forever, mainly because my parents kept confiscating my computer, so I wrote the story in my notebook. Then I decided I didn't like my notebook version and tried rewriting Blair's story. Then I tried to go back to my original… only to find that my notebook version was in the bin. Joy of joys.<strong>

**So, be honest- how many of you thought Blair was Puss in Boots?**

**Now, the character challenge for Soul's character is still open, so guess away! Hint- It's a story by the Grimm Brothers, not very well known.**

**As always, thank you to the magical LittleMissSophie, my purely epic beta.**

**Adios, mi amigos!**

**~Meg**

_B/R: Hiya. This would've been out sooner, [as in, I would've beta'd it sooner], but ya know. The usual. High school = unit tests = assignments = no time to be on FF. Or rather, be on my computer. So I can beta. But yes. This was late. My lovely Beta-ee? sent this to me two days ago, and I sadly had to neglect it. I'M SORRY EVERYONE D; I hope you liked this chapter. Because I sure did. :3 REVIEW PLZ, I HAS WIFE AND KIDS TO FEED. /shameless begging here._


	3. Off the Beaten Path

_**AN: I know my updates take forever. I try, honest!**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Eater or any fairy tales I reference. To be quite honest, I didn't even know that it was possible to 'own' a fairy tale.**_

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><p><em><strong>~ Off the Beaten Path ~<strong>_

The girl turned to look at him, her moss green eyes looking him up and down and seeming largely uninterested before landing on his injured arm.

"Come on, let's get that cleaned up." She said, indicating for him to follow before stepping off the path and into the woods. Off the path? Soul stayed rooted to the spot, dumbfounded at the girl's casual breaking of the land's greatest taboo. That action only served to heighten his suspicions of her- a teenage girl wielding an axe who killed off wolves with the skill of a trained soldier and wandered through the Great Forest with a talking cat for company was hardly the type of person one would relax around. His instincts were screaming that she meant trouble, and that the sensible option would be to get away from this freak and go back to the previous village.

But she had saved him, and so far posed no threat. Besides, he felt something different and decidedly unhealthy; the boy was curious about this girl.

_Curiosity killed the cat…_ he heard his brother's voice chide before it was cut off by the girl – what was her name again, Maka? – who called for him to hurry up.

Time to chance his already injured arm.

Soul followed her, off the path and into the unknown.

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><p><em>The boy shivered, huddling into a ball whilst his brother attempted pitifully to start a fire. The elder was crawling around, salvaging sticks and using his penknife to remove the bark before chucking them into a pile. All the while he was talking to the younger, with cheerful and optimistic words.<em>

_Soul wasn't quite so upbeat. With famine came poverty and with poverty families became desperate, to the extent that they were willing to sell their own children. Wes – lucky, talented, flawless Wes – had managed to break them out and had escaped the slavers with his brother into the woods._

_Into the deep, dark woods._

_Returning home was out of the question- they probably wouldn't be able to find their way back if they wanted too. Wes saw this as good fortune, because they had left the poverty-stricken town and their parents had two less mouths to feed. His six year old brother had a more pessimistic view, and was convinced that they would meet their doom in the shadows of the trees._

_"Brighten up!" Wes had chirped. "So what if we're off the path- we're making our own one!"_

_"We're doomed if we don't get a fire started…which we never will…" Soul had grumbled. _

_He was later forced to eat those words when Wes managed to set the pathetic looking pile of sticks alight._

_Now that he looked back, Soul had never lived in his brother's shadow. He lived in his glow._

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><p><em>Wes' silver tongue won them a home- one with a widowed hunter. A bit more convincing and they were taught combat. The years went by and they became a family, an odd little bunch but a family nonetheless.<em>

_On Soul's sixteenth birthday, they left home, and they left with a gift. The two brothers travelled until they came to a village- well, more of a hamlet than everything else. In its centre was a tree, and in that tree they stuck their gift- an enchanted knife. If one brother were to die, their side of the blade would rust and the other would know._

_It was here that they parted ways. Soul would have been fine with a cool handshake, but Wes insisted on a bro hug._

_That was two years ago._

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><p><em>Soul wandered around, a nomadic lifestyle. A village here and there, doing some odd jobs, nights spent in taverns. He'd stay in each place a few weeks. And when that was done he'd move on to another settlement. He'd probably been all over the Shibusen kingdom. It was an okay life, hardy thrilling but something of a calm one.<em>

_Six months ago he returned. And he found that one side of the blade's hilt had rusted._

_Denial. He denied that Wes could be dead, because his brother was special and special people didn't just go and drop dead. So he took the fact that only the hilt had rusted as a sign that his brother was alive, simply because he couldn't bear to think otherwise. The young man bought a pistol and a travelling pack before setting out again, this time with a goal._

_Their story would forever be one of the two brothers. Soul was sure of it._

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><p>"Shirt off." Maka ordered. She had taken off her boots and was now standing knee-deep in a clear river with water that sparkled like crystal. And she was telling him to take his shirt off.<p>

Soul blinked. "You're asking me to strip?"

"Only your shirt. So I can clean out your wound." She was straightforward, almost painfully so.

The boy obeyed, and the girl began to wash out the gash with the sparkling water. "So," she started. "What were you doing on the path?"

"What were you doing _off_ the path?" he counteracted. She let out a small smile at his comeback.

"The forest is only dangerous for those who do not know its ways. And I've had years to learn."

Soul eyed her warily. Despite the fact that she had washed out the blood and was now using the bandages from his travel pack, he could tell that she was inexperienced, trying again and again to tie them right. He could see a scar or two on her own arms. "Why? Why don't you live normally, why out here?"

"I'm training. Getting stronger, growing in my abilities until I can achieve my goal."

He frowned. This girl carried an aura of mystery, and he felt as though he was just beginning to scrape the surface. "And what would that be?"

"To slay the Wolf."

Those words struck the young man like a landslide. The matter of fact tone, the casual use of his name and the ambition all seemed unnatural, as though this girl were from another world. This girl was more than strange- she was a freak, she was dangerous, she was mad, she was suicidal. Being around her was lethal, so why was he staying?

He turned around, fixing her with a steely gaze. "Slay the Wolf? Do you have a death wish?"

Maka continued tending to his arm. "Maybe. Tell me what you know about the wolf."

She was weird, completely and utterly from another world. Because everyone knew the Wolf, and everybody knew the latest development of the past five years.

"The Wolf," he started, "Was once just kid's stuff- nursery rhymes, an old wive's tale, something to make little kids behave and not stray from the path," (she snorted at this part) "But then he turned out to be real. He now rules over the Kingdom of Shibusen, and has been doing so for the past half a decade after dethroning Lord Death." And that was all he had to say.

Maka finished bandaging, but fell silent. There was a long time, a minute or two, in which she sat in deep thought. This was the first time he saw something resembling weakness in her features- she bit her lip, retied her pigtails, fiddled absentmindedly with her cloak. Confusion was etched onto her face, gradually fading into acceptance. When she spoke again, she did so in a steady tone, cautious and level.

"Tell me, is he a good ruler?"

Soul eyed her warily. This was a delicate subject, so fragile that a wrong move could land one into a terrible situation. "I'm not authorised to say."

At this she cracked a wry smile. "You've just gone off the path and into the forest with a crazy axe wielding girl. Society is irrelevant."

Oh, how true those words were.

He grinned at her, sharp teeth flashing. "Honestly? He's a tyrant. Taxes are rocketing, most of the old nobility are 'mysteriously' dropping dead and there's executions all over the place. I'm surprised you didn't know that."

She shrugged. "I'm not really up to date with all that stuff. Living in here doesn't exactly give easy access to gossip."

Soul finally said the question burning at the forefront of his mind. "Who are you?"

She blinked, jade green eyes sparkling as she smiled once again- this one was genuine, soft and subtle but undeniably present. "They call me lots of things. The Slayer, the Scarlett Maiden, the Guardian, Madwoman. My real name is Maka. But I'm quite often called Red Riding Hood."

He had heard rumours. Rumours of a red cloaked figure, one who would protect travellers and occasionally lead those astray back to the path. But, as with many of such stories, he had dismissed it as a fairy tale, simply a story spun in order to retain hope in dark times. But now he had living prod in front of him, and, no matter how mysterious and unsettling she seemed, Maka was real.

"Soul. Soul Eater."

She giggled slightly. Her tough fighter persona was cracking, allowing glimpses of her true teenage self. "Soul Eater? Nice name."

"I could say the same for you, Red Riding Hood."

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><p>And he didn't leave. As Maka had reasoned, he would not be able to reach anywhere safe before nightfall- in fact, he was probably safest around her. But that wasn't the only reason for him staying. The truth was, reluctant as Soul was to admit it, that Maka intrigued him in a way that was thrilling and decidedly unhealthy yet irresistible nonetheless. Besides, if Soul were to just return to normality after this meaning with the ambitious girl in red, he would never stop resenting what could have been. Maka signalled a change, the beginning of another chapter in his life, and there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell of him passing up such an opportunity.<p>

That night they sat around a fire, eating a fish which had been almost effortlessly caught with the help of Blair, Maka's flirtatious feline friend. For some reason, Soul felt almost at ease. He supposed this was weird behaviour- he had just broken one of the forest's greatest laws- then again, hadn't he already done so during his childhood? The boy felt as though he had just stepped into another world, and his eyes were open to someplace alien, different yet certainly thrilling.

They were conversing normally, joking around like any teenagers would. But he had to ask her, because he needed to know. "Why do you want to kill the Wolf?"

At this Maka went silent. She spent a few moments in quiet deliberation. "As you said, he is a tyrant. I want to liberate the kingdom. I came across a town once, a town in poverty thanks to the Wolf. I didn't know it was the entire of Shibusen affected, but there were terrible, terrible things. I want to bring Shibusen back to its former glory."

That was partly true. And that was truth enough, because Maka could not say what really was, the reason she had spent six years training. Everyone had their secrets, and Maka was keeping hers.

"I originally thought I could slay him myself, but now that he has dethroned Lord Death, I'll need support. A resistance force, if you like." He eyes shone a dazzling colour, seemingly the brightest of them all at that one moment in time. "And I'd be honoured if you were to help me."

Soul looked at her outstretched hand. This girl was mad, suicidal, dangerous, strong, determined, fascinating- and he was already in too deep. He'd made his decision the moment he followed her into the forest, and he'd be damned if he didn't see such a commitment through.

"Sure- one condition."

Maka's eyes widened, and she tilted her head to the side. "And what would that be?"

He looked somewhere over her shoulder, as though lost in thought. "I'm looking for someone. His name is Wes- Wes Evans. He'd help the resistance, believe me. You'll want to find him as much as I do."

"Deal." She said simply.

He took her hand, flashing a toothy grin. "Cool."

* * *

><p><em>Once upon a time<em>

_There was a little girl in red_

_There were two brothers_

_That was five years ago. Times have changed._

_The two brothers are one, one lonely man._

_The girl in red has grown up, no longer "little"_

_They unite, and our story unwinds…_

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><p><em><strong>AN: Here is the long procrastinated against chapter! I just couldn't write… and then I could. The brain works in weird ways. Anyway, just to clear up, Soul is from the fairy tale "The Two Brothers". It is rather obscure, so I suggest you look it up. Well, expect our story to get into motion! That's right, coming up we have our first proper story arc!<strong>_

_**CHARACTER CHALLENGE: Black Star is not so much a specific fairy tale character as a stock character in the vast majority. It's not exactly the role you'd expect for Black Star, so be imaginative!**_


	4. Eternal Slumber

**AN: Nope, nobody got Black Star! Whilst some of your suggestions are completely awesome, I did warn you that Black Star is more of a stock character, didn't I? And as for the reviewer who asked for clarification, Soul is based off the German "Two Brothers" story, not the Egyptian one. And he is only very loosely inspired by it; I'm using a lot of artistic license.**

**Disclaimer: Do I own Soul Eater? Can pigs fly?**

* * *

><p>The two travellers- three if you count the cat- had been together for little over a week. They would explore the forest by day and converse by night. Soul found himself caught up in Maka's hardcore training schedule, ruthless and demanding. Maka, on the other hand, was constantly learning about the world beyond the trees, wide-eyed at just how little she actually knew<p>

And he was shocked by just how little he was actually telling her.

To be fair, she had not questioned much on the topic of Wes. No, it was the Wolf she seemed more interested in. The teenage girl seemed intent of knowing every little fact, from what the effects rising taxes were having on citizens to the trade routes.

One time, she got more than she bargained for.

"And what is the Wolf doing to small villages? Taxing them the same, or are they separate?"

Soul's face took on a serious look. Maka's innocent question was forcing him to break sinister news. He closed his crimson eyes and breathed deeply. "Well, he's not really doing anything… something else is."

"Eh?" Maka asked, tilting her head to the side. Soul sighed, unwilling to recount to her the most unprecedented developments of the past few years.

"Every few months or so," Soul started, "A village is found dead. Massacred, all of them, with no apparent cause. Even the children." And then he turned away, not wanting to see her face.

Maka was quiet and solemn for the rest of that day.

* * *

><p>Two days later and the pair (Blair was up to her usual hunting) were wandering the forest, searching.<p>

"There has to be a river somewhere nearby…" Maka mumbled, looking around as though she would magically find a spring. "Any idea, Soul?"

Her companion shrugged. "I dunno. Where's Blair? I swear she should be around here… Maka?" The young man called out, for Maka had disappeared into thin air in the space of what seemed to be two seconds. He cursed under his breath, old superstitions coming to mind of all the terrible things that lurked off the path. He yelled again, more frantic, before reaching for the pistol at his belt.

"Maka, this isn't funny." He said sternly. But the girl failed to appear, so swore once again and set off to find her. Panic was rising, because he became suddenly aware that he was wandering around a vast landscape with almost no direction- no path, no nothing. Here, where the dense foliage only let through dancing flecks of light, he was defenceless. Maka was batshit crazy, but she knew the forest. Around her, it seemed almost safe.

But now she was gone and he was back to seeing the forest the way he used to- as a scary, forbidden place.

Stopping for a moment, Soul shook his head. Was panicking going to help? Was being an uncool, terrified kid going to save Maka?

_"We're making our own path for others to tread."_

And so Soul did what he always did when he began to lose his cool- he shut his mouth and brainwashed himself into being Wes. And presto, it worked like always. He felt lighter, stronger, as though he could take on anything.

Checking that his pistol was loaded, he grinned, yelled for Maka to watch out, and confidently strode across the forest floor to begin his search. Whatever had snatched her up had another thing coming.

Twenty minutes later, he had found nothing but her red cloak hanging from a tree branch like a limp scarlet ghost, lifeless without breeze to give it spirit. Now that Soul was inspecting it closely, he saw just how ragged and faded it was- the colour, which was probably once bright, was grubby, dusky rust red. It was torn and scraggy at the end, with one particularly prominent rip.

Somehow, Maka was wearing said cloak, and he failed to notice this. She had such unrivalled confidence, skill and direction that it appeared graceful.

Plucking it off the branches, he stroked the fabric with his thumb. He had to be-

"Haha! Looks like you have fallen right into my trap!" A voice declared. Instinctively, Soul looked down to see that he was standing on a net. But nothing had happened.

There was an awkward silence. Turned around, the albino boy saw another man roughly his age; a familiar face. He was torn between grinning and facepalming.

The other man, however, did not recognize him. He tilted his head to the side, pondering on how his 'ingenious plan' could fail before looking up and yelling. "You were supposed to pull the rope!"

"And you thought I was going too?" A voice shot back, one that was irritated and feminine and undoubtedly Maka. Following the other man's gaze, Soul noticed her- she was perched on a tree branch. Her dress was torn, hair a mess and she looked as though she would quite happily murder puppies, but she was safe from what he could see. "You grab me, lug me around the treetops, dump me and then expect me to help you capture my friend?"

Her captor folded his arms. "Jeez, you're so ungrateful! I saved you!"

Maka snorted. "Saved me from what, having to walk? No thank you, I prefer a smooth ride over you dragging me along."

"Are all princesses this bitchy?"

"What the-"

The pair's bickering was cut off when Soul burst into hysterics, cackling loudly as he held his stomach. "Maka? A princess? Honestly, Black Star, how dumb can you get!"

The other teen stared at him blankly before a grin stretched out across his face. "Soul! I knew I recognized ya! How's it go-"

Maka took the opportunity to cuff him around the head.

* * *

><p>The three sat in a circle; Maka was attempting to tame her knotted hair back into pigtails whilst Soul and Black Star conversed.<p>

"So, how's it going?" Black Star asked. "Haven't seen you in ages!"

Soul grinned. "Eh, nothing much really."

"Still looking for Wes?"

Neither boys noticed, but it was at this point that Maka paused, stopping to listen out of curiosity.

"Yeah…" Soul said, trailing off. "So, when did you start kidnapping teenage girls?"

"It's my new job, okay?"

Soul chuckled. "What are you now, a p-"

"A professional princess saver!" Black Star cried, posing as dramatically as he could.

There was a long silence before his two companions reacted- Maka choked on her spit and started giggling and coughing at the same time whilst Soul was fighting very, very hard to try and keep a straight face: he was losing the battle, but fighting valiantly nonetheless.

Black Star didn't get it. "What's so funny? I'm Prince Charming, the best princess saver in the land!"

Soul wiped a tear from his eye. "Honestly, I thought you were mad enough when you pranced around saying you were 'The Chosen One'. But a princess saver!"

The blue haired dunce took the opportunity to leap up and announce his godliness whilst the two other teenagers laughed until it hurt, hiccupping as they held their sides, trying to keep themselves from suffocating.

Maka managed to compose herself first. "Honestly, how many princesses are there that need saving?" She asked with mirth.

Black Star looked at her for a moment before settling down again, reaching into his bag and pulling out a tattered map. He had obviously drawn it himself, and as a result it was clumsy and out of proportion. "Actually, there is one!"

The pigtailed girl raised an eyebrow whilst her albino friend finally managed to return to a normal breathing pattern. "And that would be…?"

"The princess of Camellia, duh!"

At this, Maka frowned and tilted her head to the side. "Isn't that just a nursery rhyme? I think I remember…" She cleared her throat and began to recite the verse.

_"Camellia girl, scentless flower_

_Why stay up 'til this late hour?_

_Prick your finger, fall asleep_

_Into a slumber oh-so-deep!_

_What on earth could solve this?_

_Nothing else but true love's kiss!"_

Black Star shook a head. "No. I did some research-"

"-You talked to some drunk dude?"

"No! Well… yes, but still! The rhyme's based off real life- I think. The princess of Camellia apparently fell into a coma-ish sleep about a hundred years ago."

Soul raised an eyebrow. "And you think she's still alive? That's a century, Black Star."

"I dunno, it was magic!"

Maka was still sceptical. "And the kingdom of Camellia?"

"Well, it was all alone in the forest, so I've been looking for it." Black Star replied. "It's quite close, so when I saw Soul with you, I thought somebody else had got to the princess first."

"So you decided to kidnap me?"

"Yeah."

She folded her arms. "You're glad that I didn't decide to axe you up. I was considering it."

"Oh yeah, tiny-tits?"

Maka's face darkened as she stood up. "Why you-"

"Black Star, you're screwed." Soul said grimly, remembering the first time he had insulted the teenage girl's chest size. It hadn't been pretty.

The girl turned to her albino friend, calming down slightly. She shot a glare at Black Star. "Say that again and I'll pulverize you."

"Devil woman… hey, you can help me!"

The girl stopped. "Help you with what?"

"Rescuing the princess, duh!"

Soul frowned. "Isn't it supposed to be cursed or something?"

The blue haired boy waved a hand dismissively. "Pah, nonsense. Besides, I'm so awesome that I can't be cursed."

"Every other person who's gone there never came back."

"Which is why I need you two! It's best to go in a group, so we can sacrifice pigtails if the worst comes to worst!"

Maka was glaring daggers, but spoke anyway, her voice projecting obvious annoyance. "Sure, we'll help you. On one condition."

"And that is?"

She stared straight at him, deadly serious. "I have a score to settle with a certain Wolf. If I help you get this princess, then you will help me in my quest."

"So, basically, you're out to kill the Wolf and want my help?"

Maka nodded swiftly, to which he pumped a fist in the air.

"Obviously anybody wanting to beat him will need me- so it's a deal!"

And then the duo shook hands, the deal made and a bond formed.

The next morning, four people left for the lost kingdom of Camellia. A talking cat, a boy on a quest, a girl seeking revenge and an idiotic, delusional dunce.

None of them were expecting the path to Camellia to be easy, and they all knew that the path from thereon would be even more perilous.

But they were a team, and that was that.

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><p><strong>AN: This chapter's actually quite short for me. I tried to incorporate some humour since the story is overall quite dark and serious. It took forever to write, but we're finally onto our first proper story arc! Hallelujah! *throws confetti*<strong>

**As usual, hugs and cookies go to LittleMissSophie, beta reader extraordinaire.**

**~Meg**

_**B/R: Oh man, it's been a while. It's been a LOONNNGG while. Like, so long, I kind of forgot parts of the story line for later! :$ Whoops. Real life + Ditzy Blonde Asian = Not good. But... what do I usually type here? Oh yeah, I beg for reviews, cause I'm shameless like that (H) I'm so cool. But no, I will not beg for reviews. So, I will hold a special contest, or something. (It's super easy)**_

_**Answer this question, my lovely readers: Who is the princess of Camellia, what fairy tale is she based off of? Answer correctly, and I'll... uuhhhh... GIVE YOU THE COOKIES THAT MEG GAVE ME ;D (Y) Yeah. Virtual Cookies to whomever guesses her identity and backstory correctly. YAY FOR COOKIES! :3 Om nom nom nom. Deliciousness. Oh, and I'll announce whomever got it right in the next B/R (Y) So... yeah. Bye-nii! :3**_


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